Monday, April 19, 2010

We're a couple weeks into the season and I thought I check up to see how my team in the Eutaw Street Hooligans league was doing. Here was the pre-season commentary from the ESH crew on my team, Ghost of Joe Kelly.

Not sure how I feel about this team. Three Red Sox, Johnny Damon, Denard Span, Placido Polanco? Rough. Slightly above average offense on the starting side. Bench, not so sure. Average pitching.

Of course, I am King of the Waiver Wire. Not that they would know that. So I made a few moves in the preseason to help the cause. The results so far?

Wait. What's this? You mean the guy who talked no preseason trash at all is comfortably in first place? Let's take a look here...

The only real competition is in the Top 5 already. Only two of them are bloggers (as far as I know) as Matt from Baltimore Sports Report (Real Pit Beef) and ESH's Tom Ludlow (Det. Tom Ludlow) bring up the rear of the Top 5. My only real competition at this point comes from ESH readers (I presume). Kevin Paul of Wife Hates Baseball and Stacey of Camden Chat (The Kekambas) are doing their best to emulate the Baltimore Orioles in their fantasy lives. (Especially Stacey...a distant 16th!) Time to step up your games Blog-O-Sphere!

So how have a managed this domination so early in the season?

1. Saves - I lead the league in Saves with a conglomerate of Heath Bell, Carlos Marmol, Octavio Dotel and Chris Perez. the lesson? You don't need a top shelf closer to compete in this category.

2. WHIP - The team of "average" starters stands at second in WHIP, a good sign that my mediocre (6th) ERA will improve.

3. OBP - Ghost of Joe Kelley is second in OBP with a .381 mark and, as a result, is also second in runs scored.

4. The Waiver Wire - Ian Desmond, Shaun Marcum, David Freese, Brad Ziegler, Chris Perez and Jake Fox were all picked up off of waivers and all, to some degree, have been key players thus far. (Once Fox qualifies at catcher, even more impact.)

Anyway, the panic is starting to set in and I will be out there on the waiver wire waiting to take advantage. And soon, it will be the ennui and inactivity that will allow me to increase my lead. It is futile, I understand.